Calorie guidance could be too low, says SACN

16-Nov-2009 - Scientists advising the UK government have called for an increase in recommended energy requirement levels.

Nutrition of lunchbox foods attacked

16-Nov-2009 - Consumer watchdog Which? is campaigning for strict rules on the sugar, salt and fat content in foods that appear to be healthy, following a study of foods commonly put in kids’ lunchboxes.

Australians need simpler salt labelling scheme: Study

28-Oct-2009 - Many Australian consumers are aware of the risk of high blood pressure due to excess salt intake, but a new study indicates that many have trouble interpreting labelling info that lists sodium, rather than salt.

Australia, NZ to review burden of food labelling laws

26-Oct-2009 - Australia and New Zealand are to undertake a review of food labelling laws and policy to reduce the regulatory burden on food companies without compromising health and safety.

Consumer response to health claims varies by country: Study

23-Oct-2009 - Italians are unswayed by healthy messages and images on foods, whereas the Finnish respond to medical pictures and British consumers are more likely to buy foods making even a weak health claim, indicates new research.

Shoppers still prepared to pay for healthier foods, says research

19-Oct-2009 - Consumers are prepared to pay more for foods that note health attributes on packs, and are becoming more aware and sophisticated in their attitudes to diet and food labelling, according to research from Tate & Lyle.

Questions posed for three-pronged nutrition labelling scheme

30-Jul-2009 - A new consultation starts today on practical issues to developing a colour coded GDA front-of-pack labelling scheme that includes the words ‘high, medium and low’.

Consumers don't trust food industry portion sizes, report finds

23-Jul-2009 - Consumers do not trust portion sizes given on food packages and buy extra to ensure they have enough to eat, finds IGD research has found; industry needs to communicate better the basis of portion sizes.

Consumers prepared to pay for nutritional panel: Study

16-Jul-2009 - Spanish consumers are more willing to pay a premium for food products that carry a nutritional panel on packaging than for those that just make a ‘light’ claim, according to researchers.

Traffic light-GDA combo best in UK labelling study

07-May-2009 - Latest round of research to identify the ideal front-of-pack labelling scheme indicates that a combination of traffic lights and GDAs is best understood by consumers.

EFSA advises raising carbohydrate reference intake

06-May-2009 - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has given its view of proposed reference intake levels for energy, total fat, saturates, carbohydrates, sugars and salt – suggesting that the carbohydrate level be revised upwards.

Nutrition label use a pleasant surprise for FLABEL

04-May-2009 - A new survey by FLABEL indicates widespread listing of nutritional information on food products across the EU and Turkey, with 85 per cent of goods surveyed giving info back-of-pack and 48 per cent front-of-pack.

Further evidence backs traffic light food label scheme

06-Apr-2009 - The traffic light system for front-of-pack food labelling is the most effective in helping people identify healthier food products, a new study of Australian consumers has found.

FSA keeps protein cap in place, industry objects

26-Mar-2009 - The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) yesterday confirmed the implementation of a protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children.

CIAA responds to points raised by anti-GDA campaign

20-Mar-2009 - The CIAA has responded to criticisms levelled at its GDA nutrition labelling system by a campaign from Denmark, emphasising points including the tool’s neutral, science basis, and work towards setting portion sizes.

Food labelling vote postponed until after election

17-Mar-2009 - Progress of the proposed new food information legislation will be delayed by at least six months, as MEPs have decided to delay the vote in committee until after the parliamentary elections.

Campaign aims to stop GDA inclusion in labelling law

13-Mar-2009 - A campaign that strongly opposes the inclusion of GDA-type nutritional labelling in the proposed new food information legislation has been launched by a consortium of health and industry groups in Denmark.

Half of all consumers ignore food labels

24-Feb-2009 - About half of consumers never read the nutrition label before purchasing pre-packaged food, according to a new survey which adds weight to the Guidline Daily Amounts (GDA’s) debate.

Agri MEPs on board with some industry labelling concerns

20-Feb-2009 - A vote on the proposed food information legislation by the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (Agri) this week found sense in abolishing the 3mm rule and national schemes, but has stirred new industry concerns on country of origin labelling.

Dispatches from FDF labelling debate

What consumers make of food labels

18-Feb-2009 - Recent research has shed new light on how consumers understand food labels - and use them to inform their shopping decisions. But questions still remain over what will make them switch to healthier food choices.

Dispatches from FDF labelling debate

What labelling scheme(s) should Europe allow?

13-Feb-2009 - Debate is heating up about the best way to present nutrition information on food labels throughout the EU as lawmakers hammer out the details of new legislation. The Food and Drink Federation gives a view from industry.

Dispatches from FDF labelling debate

Labelling law costs for SMEs raise concerns

12-Feb-2009 - The proposed food information regulation would pose big problems for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) if adopted in its present shape, said speakers at the FDF labelling debate – despite the Commission having carried out an impact assessment.

Dispatches from FDF labelling debate

Rapporteur retains role for industry labelling schemes

12-Feb-2009 - The EU Parliament rapporteur on the proposed food information regulation does see a place for nutrition labelling schemes chosen by manufacturers and retailers – but not for national schemes propounded by Member State governments to run alongside the Europe-wide system.

‘Portion size’ may not be a good way to curb obesity: Study

29-Jan-2009 - Nutritional labelling may mean more to consumers than portion sizes, according to a joint study from Norway and the US.